


winded by your words (and that stupid trip earlier)

by ahermioneh



Series: Nursey Week 2021 [5]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Gen, NHL Player Adam "Holster" Birkholtz, NHL Player Derek "Nursey" Nurse, Nursey Week 2021, Nursey Week: Day 5 - Hockey and Hobbies, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:14:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29381196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahermioneh/pseuds/ahermioneh
Summary: Nursey’s still sprawled on the ice when Birkholtz is skating dutifully over from the referee to the penalty box to serve his minor for tripping, so naturally no one else is around as he hears Birkholtz mutter “Still as clumsy as ever, Nurse?”Nursey pulls himself to his feet and skates past the box as he goes to assume his position in the power play line. “Still drawing penalties for stupid shit, Birkholtz?”
Relationships: Adam "Holster" Birkholtz & Derek "Nursey" Nurse
Series: Nursey Week 2021 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2154669
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	winded by your words (and that stupid trip earlier)

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for [Nursey Week 2021](https://nurseyweek2021.tumblr.com/): Day 5 - Hockey and Hobbies.

Nursey’s still sprawled on the ice when Birkholtz is skating dutifully over from the referee to the penalty box to serve his minor for tripping, so naturally no one else is around as he hears Birkholtz mutter “Still as clumsy as ever, Nurse?”

Nursey pulls himself to his feet and skates past the box as he goes to assume his position in the power play line. “Still drawing penalties for stupid shit, Birkholtz?” 

Birkholtz makes a gesture through the glass that Nursey _knows_ his mother is going to scold him for later. Mrs Birkholtz is not the sort of woman that you want to get on the bad side of; she has _strong_ opinions, especially surrounding her son and the various obscene gestures she’s witnessed him perform on the ice during both college and NHL games. 

Nursey shoots a smirk at him in return before squaring his jaw and getting his head back in the game; he can’t afford to let the Islanders lose to the fucking Schooners _again_.

\----

Holster greets Nursey after the game with a hug and a slap on the back. “Dude, you were phenomenal out there.” Holster grins down at him, the harsh artificial light of the players’ parking lot reflecting off of his teeth. “That’s exactly the sort of thing that won you the Frozen Four last year. Fuck, it’s exactly the sort of thing that’s gonna win you the Norris this year.”

Nursey startles. “You think so?”

Holster hums. “Well, maybe not this year, what with Poindexter tearing it up in Philly, Mashkov terrifying the fuck out of everyone-” yeah, Nursey’s always slightly afraid to go up against the Falcs, not only because Jack is like a fucking sniper with his shots, but also Tater isn’t scared to destroy Nursey and his valuable limbs if it means that he can stop the puck from getting anywhere near Snowy - “and of course, _moi_.” Holster plays a hand on his chest and levels Nursey with a fairly smug and condescending look.

Nursey retaliates with a playful but well-placed elbow to Holster’s gut. “I’m not sure that Hedman’s going to like the fact that he’s not included in your list of potential Norris winners. Anyway, do you want to go get dinner or not?” He climbs into the car, smiling slightly as Holster tries to fold himself into the passenger seat before he eventually relents and pushes the seat backwards. 

They’re quiet for approximately two seconds before Holster’s dam of silence breaks. “I wasn’t kidding about the Norris though. Like you might not win, but you’ll definitely make the shortlist. _Plus_ you’re almost a shoe-in for the Calder shortlist. Like I’m not even speculating at this point, I _know_ that you and Poindexter will be on that list.”

“Really?” Nursey furrows his brow, half out of concentration, half out of confusion. “You really think so?”

Holster scoffs. “Dude, I know so.”

“Huh.” Nursey’s grip on the steering wheel grows tighter. “I just didn’t think I was _that_ good, y’know. Like hockey’s always been a hobby for me; I’ve never been the best at hockey on any of my teams, so I never really thought I could go pro.” He shrugs his shoulders as much as he can whilst driving. “Like I entertained the idea as much as any first line Div 1 player does, but I wasn’t exactly the one with droves of scouts after me in Senior Year. Y’know, I knew that Chowder would go pro; I mean, he’s the one of the three of us that actually got _drafted_. And yeah, it became obvious that Dex would as well.” He runs a hand through his hair. “But _me_? Literally only two teams invited me to their prospect camps and then only one even offered me a contract.”

Holster’s been oddly silent for all of Nursey’s rant, but he lets out a sharp exhale of air, cutting off Nursey’s train of thought. “I don’t know which scouts were stupid enough to not even give you a shot last year, but you’re proving every single last one of them wrong now. Also, wasn’t it the Rangers that turned you down after prospect camp?” Holster huffs. “They fucking signed Tony Deangelo instead, so clearly they’re in the business of bad decision making.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter what team’s thought in the past. What matters now is what you’re doing at the moment, and honestly dude, you’re killing it right now.” Holster knocks against Nursey’s shoulder lightly with a fist. “Take it from someone that just got absolutely thrashed by your team,” he says, “you’re doing fantastic.” The onslaught of compliments catches Nursey off guard and winds him almost as much as Holster’s stupid trip did earlier; he’s completely and utterly speechless.

Holster climbs out the car and nods his head towards the diner they’ve just pulled up outside of, casual and carefree as if he hasn’t just knocked Nursey’s world off its axis. “Now, c’mon, let’s go get something to eat because I, for one, am fuckin’ starving.”

Nursey takes a second to breathe before climbing out after him. “Fine, but you’re paying! You owe me for that stupid hit earlier.”

Holster laughs and retaliates, as ever, by flipping the bird at Derek.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out all the fantastic works for Nursey Week 2021 [here](https://nurseyweek2021.tumblr.com)


End file.
